Early European Contact

The main factors fueling European expansion was the hope of finding alternate trade routes, which would allow them to avoid (bypass) the taxes that were required when traveling through the traditional trade routes that were secured by the Ottoman Empire as well as converting others to Catholicism. “The European conquest of America began as an offshoot of the quest for a sea route to India, China, and the islands of the East Indies, the source of the silk, tea, spices, porcelain, and other luxury goods on which international trade in the early modern era centered. Profit and piety-the desire to eliminate Islamic middlemen and win control of the lucrative trade for Christian western Europe-combined to inspire the quest for a direct route to Asia.” (Liberty 19-20). “But the Spanish took the lead in exploration and conquest. Inspired by a search for wealth, national glory, and the desire to spread Catholicism, Spanish conquistadores, often accompanied by religious missionaries and carrying flags emblazoned with the sign of the cross, radiated outward from Hispaniola.” (Liberty 24) Since Spain was in a holy war against Islam, Spain felt justified to spread their faith among others. “Convinced of the superiority of Catholicism to all other religions, Spain insisted that the primary goal of the colonization was to save the Indians from heathenism and prevent them from falling under the sway of Protestantism.” (Liberty 31) “Even enslaving the natives was justified as a means of liberating them from their own backwardness and savagery and enabling them to become part of Christian civilization.” (Liberty 32) The Canary Islands benefited from Columbus as they become the center of colonization. The Indians on Hispaniola faced many devastating dilemmas including being forced to convert to Catholicism, be raped, murdered, enslaved, and surrender their gold and silver to the Spanish colonizers. It must have been difficult for the Indians to continue to stand-up for what they truly believed in and possibly converted to Catholicism simply to resist the consequences of refusing the Spain’s demand. “Spanish rule, especially in its initial period, witnessed a disastrous fall in Indian population, not only because of epidemics but also because of the brutal conditions of labor to which Indians were subjected to.” (Liberty 32) Bartolome de Las Casas and the Spanish had drastically different views on what type of treatment was acceptable with (against) the Indians. Bartolome de Las Casas viewed the Indians as innocent people who were treated unfairly. “Known as the “Apostle of the Indians,” Bartolome de Las Casas, a Catholic priest, was the most eloquent critic of Spanish mistreatment of the New World’s native population. In 1514, he freed his Indian slaves and began to preach against the injustices of Spanish rule. In his History of the Indies, Las Casas denounced Spain for causing the death of millions of innocent people. Las Casas called for the Indians to enjoy the rights of other subjects of Spain.” (Freedom 11)